Ethical Theories Presentation

Ethical RelativismLP: 5

Katie KuehnOctober 21, 2008

What is Ethical Relativism?• Simple observation that different

individuals and societies sometimes have different values

• No one single standard is “right”

The Rights Approach• Immanuel Kant – Individuals right to

choose for himself or herself

Kant’s Ideas– “People have dignity to choose freely

what they want to do with their lives.”–Moral Right – Choices are respected– People should not be manipulated–Moral Law/Morally Correct Laws• Lying

Critic on Kant’s Ideas

– Doesn’t determine correctness of judgment

– Doesn’t fulfill needs– Doesn’t fulfill

desires– No supreme good

Jeremy Bentham • Principal of utility– Utility- respect to a community• Make the happiness of the community

greater than any that diminishes it• Promote the greatest amount of happiness

Critic of Bentham’s Ideas• People have higher and lower

faculties • Pleasures associated with the higher

faculties are more valuable than others

• A persons actions are judged with reference to these principles

Descriptive Relativism• Moral values

different in fundamental ways

• There is a difference between people and cultures

Putting things into perspective…

Eskimo and Europeans are different on their care for the elderly

Facts to Know

• Cultures have different moral values

• Disagreements could be about facts instead of moral value– Eskimos/Europeans

Criticism of Ethical Relativism

• Moral Situations are very complex resulting in a variety of good responses

• Implies Tolerance – “live and let live”

Current Ethical

DilemmaThe Abortion Debate

There is no consensus about when abortion is appropriate

There is no “right or wrong”

Kant’s Theory on Relativism“Persons right to choose”

Review Question: 1Do all societies have generally

the same moral values?

NOEuropeans and Eskimos had

completely different views on how their elderly should be treated. What was morally expected for one, was

unheard of for the other.

Review Question: 2Did Immanuel Kant believe that every

person had the right to choose for himself/herself?

YesKant believed it was a persons “dignity” to choose what they

did or didn’t want to do in their lives

The End